Super kraut: Vegetable’s healthy reputation has turned it into a foodie favorite

Reuben Burger
sauerkraut.com photo

By Andrea Honaker / Staff Writer

Published: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at 09:35 AM.

If haven’t joined the sauerkraut bandwagon, you’re missing out. Pickled cabbage has garnered a heavy foodie following, and some of its lovers have even joined forces and are sharing recipes through sauerkraut.com’s Kraut Klub.

There’s a lot to love about this vegetable, including health benefits that make it a “superfood.” Sauerkraut is filled with vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system, and studies show that it has cancer-fighting components, according to sauerkraut.com. It’s also low in calories and contains helpful bacteria that aid in digestion. Dr. Oz even cited sauerkraut as one of his “best weight loss trends of 2013.”

Here are some recipes that take the kraut to a whole new level. Grab a couple cans of your favorite brand sauerkraut and turn it into a dazzling dish.

Sauerkraut ham balls

From Taste of Home

Makes five dozen

1 pound ground fully cooked ham

1 jar (16 ounces) sauerkraut, drained and chopped

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 Tbs. plus ¾ cup dry bread crumbs, divided

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1 Tbs. prepared mustard

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

¼ to ½ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

Oil for deep-fat frying

In a large bowl, combine the ham, sauerkraut, onion and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. In another bowl, combine the cream cheese, parsley, mustard, garlic powder and pepper; stir into sauerkraut mixture. Chill for 1 hour or overnight.

Shape into ¾-inch balls; coat with flour. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk. Dip ham balls into the egg mixture, then roll in the remaining bread crumbs. In a deep-fat fryer or electric skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry ham balls until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

Reuben Burger

From sauerkraut.com

Makes 4 burgers

1 pound lean ground beef or ground chuck

½ pound corned beef (sliced)

Salt and pepper

8 slices rye bread, 4 pretzel buns or 4 regular buns

8 to 16 ounces sauerkraut, drained and rinsed

4 slices Swiss cheese

Thousand Island dressing

Shape ground beef into four patties, salt and pepper both sides. Fry in skillet or over open flame. Turn only once. Add Swiss cheese and cover with lid to melt. In a separate pan warm the sauerkraut and the corned beef.

Remove cooked burger from the heat and place on bun. Cover with a generous portion of sauerkraut and add three or four slices of the heated corned beef. Top with Thousand Island dressing.

Fresh Kraut Salad

From sauerkraut.com

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

1 sweet red onion

1 sweet yellow onion (optional)

3 stalks of celery

6 scallions (optional)

1 cup of shredded carrots

1 bag (2 pound) deli sauerkraut

1 cup white granulated sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup vegetable/canola oil

Clean all vegetables. Dice ½ of each pepper into ½ inch cubes. Dice celery stalks into ½ inch cubes. Slice each onion into ½ inch cubes. Cut scallions into ½ inch pieces. Only use the white scallion, and throw out the green leaves. Shred one cup of carts.

Place sauerkraut into a colander and rinse under cold water. Mix all vegetables and sauerkraut in large bowl. Stir the sugar, apple cider vinegar, and canola oil together until they blend. Pour liquid over sauerkraut and vegetable mixture. Refrigerate overnight, and serve cold.

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If haven’t joined the sauerkraut bandwagon, you’re missing out. Pickled cabbage has garnered a heavy foodie following, and some of its lovers have even joined forces and are sharing recipes through sauerkraut.com’s Kraut Klub.

There’s a lot to love about this vegetable, including health benefits that make it a “superfood.” Sauerkraut is filled with vitamins and minerals that boost the immune system, and studies show that it has cancer-fighting components, according to sauerkraut.com. It’s also low in calories and contains helpful bacteria that aid in digestion. Dr. Oz even cited sauerkraut as one of his “best weight loss trends of 2013.”

Here are some recipes that take the kraut to a whole new level. Grab a couple cans of your favorite brand sauerkraut and turn it into a dazzling dish.

Sauerkraut ham balls

From Taste of Home

Makes five dozen

1 pound ground fully cooked ham

1 jar (16 ounces) sauerkraut, drained and chopped

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 Tbs. plus ¾ cup dry bread crumbs, divided

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1 Tbs. prepared mustard

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. pepper

¼ to ½ cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

Oil for deep-fat frying

In a large bowl, combine the ham, sauerkraut, onion and 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. In another bowl, combine the cream cheese, parsley, mustard, garlic powder and pepper; stir into sauerkraut mixture. Chill for 1 hour or overnight.

Shape into ¾-inch balls; coat with flour. In a small bowl, beat eggs and milk. Dip ham balls into the egg mixture, then roll in the remaining bread crumbs. In a deep-fat fryer or electric skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees. Fry ham balls until golden brown; drain on paper towels.

Reuben Burger

From sauerkraut.com

Makes 4 burgers

1 pound lean ground beef or ground chuck

½ pound corned beef (sliced)

Salt and pepper

8 slices rye bread, 4 pretzel buns or 4 regular buns

8 to 16 ounces sauerkraut, drained and rinsed

4 slices Swiss cheese

Thousand Island dressing

Shape ground beef into four patties, salt and pepper both sides. Fry in skillet or over open flame. Turn only once. Add Swiss cheese and cover with lid to melt. In a separate pan warm the sauerkraut and the corned beef.

Remove cooked burger from the heat and place on bun. Cover with a generous portion of sauerkraut and add three or four slices of the heated corned beef. Top with Thousand Island dressing.

Fresh Kraut Salad

From sauerkraut.com

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 orange pepper

1 sweet red onion

1 sweet yellow onion (optional)

3 stalks of celery

6 scallions (optional)

1 cup of shredded carrots

1 bag (2 pound) deli sauerkraut

1 cup white granulated sugar

½ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup vegetable/canola oil

Clean all vegetables. Dice ½ of each pepper into ½ inch cubes. Dice celery stalks into ½ inch cubes. Slice each onion into ½ inch cubes. Cut scallions into ½ inch pieces. Only use the white scallion, and throw out the green leaves. Shred one cup of carts.

Place sauerkraut into a colander and rinse under cold water. Mix all vegetables and sauerkraut in large bowl. Stir the sugar, apple cider vinegar, and canola oil together until they blend. Pour liquid over sauerkraut and vegetable mixture. Refrigerate overnight, and serve cold.